The Accidental Archmage

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  Tyler suddenly felt hands supporting him, keeping him from falling backward. It was Apu Rumi, and the mage was back in the ruined Olmec settlement. He looked around and saw Habrok nearby, on bended knee, looking at him with concern. Tyndur was seated with his back to the wall, also watching him but the einherjar’s expression looked as if the warrior knew what happened.

  “Magic, High Mage. Imprisonment magic?” asked the temple guardian.

  He couldsense that? thought Tyler. This day is indeed full of surprises. And another pissed-off deity to my list of fans.

  “Sort of, Rumi. But I’m back,” Tyler slowly replied. Though X had helped, he could feel the tiredness in his body. The stiffness in his joints and muscles made it hard to move and breathe.

  “You looked blank for a while, sire,” said Habrok. “We didn’t know what to do. Tyndur said the matter was beyond us. It’s a relief to see you’re alright.”

  “How long was I out?” the mage asked.

  “Three to four minutes. Good thing Apu Rumi was quick to support your body. Otherwise, you would have fallen on your back. No telling if your head would hit a rock,” replied Tyndur.

  Tyler turned his attention to the einherjar.

  “How goes the battle? Or the siege, which I think is a better term for it,” the mage inquired.

  “Well, sire, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is the Yahui and a few large beasties I don’t recognize are tearing the Aztecah enemy apart. Their battle had moved further back already. The screams and shouts when control over the Yahui disappeared were terrible enough, even for a toughened veteran like me. It was simple butchery. A bunch of almost invulnerable beasts having a buffet. A red field. Their mages have tried building bridges to escape, but we tore them down. Let them worry about those pets they brought.”

  “And the bad news?”

  “That comes after those fiends had their fill. They’ll be roaming the plain across the ravine. From what I have seen, there’s a lot more of those beasties than I expected. Their numbers were enough to play havoc with an army. Unless we find a solution, we’re still trapped here.”

  Chapter Lore:

  Macuahuitl – Nahualt. A traditional Aztec weapon. A wooden club with sharp obsidian blades. Records tell of the sharpness of such native swords, enough to cut off a horse’s head with one blow. (TAA, Book III)

  Huitzilopochtli – The Aztec deity of human sacrifice and brutal war. Among the Aztec gods, he is considered to be the one representing the Aztec peoples as a whole. There exists scholarly disagreement as to the interpretation of the name. One of the translations offered is “South hummingbird.” This deity is the one tasked in Aztec myth to postpone the end of the world every fifty-two years and his strength is sourced from human blood. He was the deity who founded Tenochtitlan (TAA, Book III). He is also known to be the Blue God among the four major deities of the Aztecs.

  Tezcatlipoca – An Aztec deity. One of their major gods. A dark deity associated with night, discord, sorcery, war, strife, and similar concepts. The name is usually translated as “smoking mirror.” His titles include Necoc Yaotl (“Enemy of all sides”) and Titlacauan (“We are his slaves”). (TAA, Book III)

  Chakri – Indian. Smaller versions of the chakram, sometimes worn on the wrist or mounted on headgear as utilitarian decorations.

  Chapter Twelve

  From the Frying Pan

  It’s just my fricking day! One screw-up after another, reflected Tyler as he stood up. His knees still felt rubbery and aching muscles reminded him of the strain he had undergone. As the mage moved the few steps to the stone rampart which had protected them, his gaze fell on the defending warriors. They were all now standing, gathered at the wall, and silently watching the bloody carnage displayed on the field. To his right, Tyler could see Asem running towards their position. Tyndur and Apu Rumi followed him to the wall, each positioned on his sides. Habrok led the way while Kobu had also stood up and now covered his back. The exile’s men had already formed a protective screen around him though they kept their distance.

  As Tyler looked on the battlefield before him, beyond the mass of sharpened stakes defending the wall, it was apparent that he had missed the gory massacre. Packs of Yahui were already feeding on the dead. The field was almost empty of humans, and the mage could hear the macabre crunch of bones and disgusting sloppy sounds as the Yahui fed. Near the line of broken hills in the distance, he could see more of the creatures converging on a few pockets of resisting Aztecah warriors and mages. Flashes of light among the small huddled groups showed a few mages had survived.

  Not for long, he thought as the mage struggled to pick out details of what remained of the doomed Aztecah army. All he could perceive were glimpses of color among the converging monochrome wave. Reminds me of sand castles at the onset of high tide, he thought. Tyler saw the scorpions lay abandoned, some were broken pieces of machinery, but most appeared to be in usable condition.

  They don’t act like ordinary beasts or even monsters, Tyler observed as his attention returned to the feeding Yahui. The creatures were gathered in separate packs, each large cluster clearly within a determined area. There’s no fighting between them for food. It’s like they have a rudimentary clan arrangement among them and between groups. Even those large monsters I could see in the distance have their own feeding area. Must be their larger cousins. Shit.

  Then a sudden worry stumbled into his weary mind. He turned to Tyndur, now watching the forbidding sight at his side.

  “Won’t this lot tear into Incan lands after they’ve been sated?”

  “For now, sire, I don’t believe that would happen,” replied Tyndur.

  “Why?” asked Tyler.

  “For them, there’s a convenient source for their next dinner. Us. They know we’re here.”

  The mage didn’t reply. He knew the mass of Yahui could easily flood into the ravine and climb up to the settlement. There was no way he could defend the entire length of the wall. Taking care of the incursion in the area of the now-destroyed stone bridge took a lot out of his magical energy reserves.

  “Excuse me, sire, may I speak?” A voice sounded from the back. He looked at the speaker. It was Maherpa. Beside him were the mage’s other companions together with the Incan Kamayuk, Drust and other leaders of the defending force.

  “Yes, Maherpa?”

  “I do have some knowledge about the Yahui. After dealing with us, they will spread throughout these lands. Their kind was limited to a southern region in Aztecah lands. Some magical barrier, I believe. There’s no such block here. And there’s a lot of them.”

  Tyler looked at Asem. The companion gave a subtle nod.

  “I’ll think of a solution,” said Tyler. And hope it doesn’t lead to a bigger problem.

  A quick glance at the gruesome feast and the mage looked back at the gathered people before him.

  “In the meantime, we can’t let down our guard. They can climb the ravine’s cliff. Maintain position and arrange our men accordingly. Long weapons at the front. Some of the Aztecah scorpions looked serviceable. Too bad we can’t get them.”

  “With the permission of the temple guardian, we can scrounge around the ruins and cut down trees. We can make crude pikes, spears, javelins, and other defenses to keep them at bay. I could try making a primitive scorpion. If it works, we could make more and whittle down their numbers before they get hungry again,’ said Drust. “So far, we made use of the timber lying around in these crumbling structures. Surprisingly, the wood showed little signs of decay.”

  “Cut down trees if you must, but not around the temple,” replied Apu Rumi before the mage could ask the being.

  “Our thanks, temple guardian,” replied Drust. Maherpa and the Kamayuk were already discussing defense, both men kneeling on the ground around a sketched outline in the dirt.

  “Do we still have enough food and water?” asked Tyler. “There’s a lot of men here.”

  “The temple will provide. Water from the w
ell on temple grounds but men only allowed there. Food will be left around it. Rest of grounds prohibited,” said Apu Rumi.

  “Our thanks again, temple guardian. We will order our men as you instructed,” promised Drust.

  Tyler leaned and whispered a query to Apu Rumi.

  “Can we feed them all? We’re talking about thousands of mouths here,” the mage asked.

  “The temple can provide,” assured Apu Rumi, followed by a gurgling sound. “The temple lord will make sure of food.”

  Is he laughing? thought Tyler. Rumi’s attitude must be turning human faster than I expected.

  “Thanks, Rumi. I was worried there for a while,” Tyler murmured in reply. Then he addressed the group again.

  “For now, I am going back to the temple with the companions. I’ll send back Habrok when it’s time to pick up the food. I’ll leave the defense to you though that means Tyndur will be here for a while.”

  “Well, at least there’s still hope for a fight,” whispered Tyndur.

  Tyler turned from the wall and started to walk to the temple. Then the mage stopped. He felt somebody was talking about him. The young man quickly glanced to where he sensed the disturbance and saw Kobu in an animated discussion with the Kamayuk, Drust, and Maherpa. The three warband leaders looked in the mage’s direction from time to time. He waited for them to finish. No sense putting the matter off. He still had Loki to contend with when he reached the temple. But the mage felt so tired.

  “X? How’s my physical condition?” he asked.

  “Extremely tired, Elder. Stress, in addition to the strain of magical energy coursing through your body. You need to rest. Some internal damage happened due to nearing magical exhaustion but we quickly fixed that problem. We could boost your body’s condition, but that approach is one with diminishing returns.”

  “Thanks. But I will need a boost when we meet with Loki. I hate to be tired and not thinking clearly when negotiations start.”

  “Negotiations, Elder?”

  “I doubt if Loki’s service will be free,” Tyler replied.

  Finally, the four stopped talking. Tyler saw Maherpa and Kobu walk towards him.

  What is it now? he thought. The day’s surprises seem to be not over yet.

  As the two reached him, the two warriors bowed. Maherpa’s was the slight nod usual among the Greeks, as well as those from Skaney and Kemet. But Kobu bowed with a body bent at the waist.

  “High Mage, I have a request, or a plea, from Kobu,” said Maherpa. “He had asked leave from us to approach you with his petition. We do understand his position, being acquainted in one way or another with his story. And if you do agree to his plea, we will release him and his men from our service. Let me begin by saying that, as a Brave of the Pharaoh, I know what he is going through. I could say it’s a matter of honor. But for him, as well as his men, the issue goes beyond mere honor. To them, it’s their reason for existing. I won’t say I understand it, but it is what it is.”

  Kobu stepped forward and abjectly knelt in front of Tyler, surprising the mage.

  “My lord, High Mage of the North, my men and I have been boumei, or exiles, for many, many years. The handful I now have are what remains of a thousand experienced and battle-hardened veterans of many campaigns. We were saburai. Now without a lord to serve, our lives have lost meaning. We have long sought for a worthy lord to serve and found none. Until now. We beg to be your retainers. We only ask one thing – that our lives and skills not be wasted. You fight the evils of this land, and we believe there is no worthier cause.”

  To say the mage was thunderstruck would be an understatement. The unexpected offer both confused and elated Tyler.

  A company of samurai! At my command! the thought danced in his mind. Then reality bit again. And what’s the fucking catch? I might be paranoid, but things tend to get out of hand in this world.

  “You are ronin? Masterless samurai? At least that’s the impression I got,” said Tyler.

  “The terms are familiar to us, the children of Queen Himiko, being used by later arrivals from the other world. But no, we do not use those terms. We are warriors born to be saburai, which in your language means ‘to serve.’ From what I heard, the word ‘ronin’ was used to mean warriors who have lost their fiefs. For saburai, fiefs are not essential nor do we need such material things. Service with honor and loyalty is what is necessary. Though our last lord put those to the test and we thought we chose honor. A grievous mistake for which my men and I are still paying for with our lives amidst the hardship of these foreign lands. Our blind eyes and blunted mortal minds forgot that from loyalty also comes honor, even when circumstances are stupid and idiotic. We should have died with our lord even when there was no honor in that struggle. We should have been content with loyally serving until our useless deaths. Now, our jiko tsuiho, or self-exile, still finds us wandering. Our losses and suffering are our punishment. We are worthless warriors with no honor or purpose. We seek redemption. Again, we beg for the chance to regain our life in this world, and in the process, get our honor back.”

  “They’re excellent fighters, sire. With a lot of battle magic,” whispered Tyndur who had come to join them.

  “We don’t look much, my lord. But fighting is what we are really good at, be it against men, fiends, beasts, or whatever fate deems proper to throw at us,” added Kobu without looking up.

  “I’ll think about it, Kobu. Though I admit your offer is tempting and flatters me,” replied Tyler. “But I have to tell you we are on a journey to unknown lands, against powerful enemies, and even now, I am still trying to find a way to get to the Void Lands as fast as I can.”

  At the mention of their destination, Maherpa blanched, but Kobu just smiled.

  “Against enemies of man, as I have heard from the other mercenaries and soldiers of the Inka. The better, my lord. There is no greater honor than to fight against such enemies. I too have heard of that deadly and cursed land,” said the exile. “We don’t fear death. Only the manner of how we die is what matters.”

  “I’ll make my decision tomorrow, Kobu,” finally said Tyler. Kobu bowed and left with Maherpa.

  “Good men. Excellent warriors,” commented Tyndur. “I could have made good use of such men a millennium ago.”

  Astrid and Habrok kept quiet, but Asem stepped closer to the mage.

  “That was unexpected, to say the least. But the children of Himiko don’t give their oaths or service lightly. I could sense a lot of magic abilities in him and his men. His desertion of his lord does speak against him. But then again, everybody deserves a second chance, do they, sire?” said Asem. “Though I believe it would be unproductive, not to mention problematic, to bring all of them with us. Magical transportation does have its limitations.”

  “What do you think?” Tyler asked the companions.

  “Your problems, or quests, are just starting, sire. A few more swords could help,” said Tyndur. “Though we would then be a proper rag-tag company of misfits instead of just an odd little group.”

  Astrid remained quiet.

  “Well, they’re excellent fighters, sire, as Tyndur observed. Most appear to be proficient with the bow,” commented Habrok.

  “They are fearless, very talented warriors, and loyal to a fault. At least that’s from I hear about them back in Kemet,” said Asem. “But from what I know about their politics, his master’s opponent would not stop trying to take their heads.”

  “I see,” said Tyler. Why do things have to be so damned complicated? Men with swords. Fighting monsters. Or even men with monsters. Or men who are monsters. Why does politics have to be involved?

  “What do you say, Rumi?”

  “I am not a good judge of the qualities they have talked about,” answered the gelatinous being. “But like new magic abilities, these are matters you need to think about carefully. There’s always a chance your choice would explode in your face. But their offer of loyalty I can understand.”

  Tyler shook his head i
n resignation. Choices, decisions, unknown factors, explosions in my face. I wish Eira were here. Her straightforward approach to thinking things through would have been a refreshing touch.

  The mage started to move towards the temple while the companions followed, Apu Rumi taking the rear.

  “Please walk with me, Asem,” Tyler asked. The High Priestess quickly moved to his side.

  “Any ideas about those Yahui?” the mage asked while they walked. “We do have to make sure they don’t spread throughout Adar.”

  “These are lesser ones which act in clan packs, probably a trait given their lessened abilities in that prison of a land. Maherpa was correct in saying they have been magically restricted to a fixed area in the southern part of the Aztecah Empire. But I see the hand of a major deity in that work. No mortal mage could do such a thing. Greater Yahui are solitary and extremely difficult to control. My guess is the large beasts you saw are magically-mutated lesser Yahuis. An easy solution to the problem of catching and binding deadlier versions of their kind. But this is the first time I have seen that kind of Yahui. They’re easily four times the size of the lesser ones with such… disturbing traits. Two to three heads? Four to eight legs? Four long taloned arms? Those are… abominations. Magical perversions. The Aztecah didn’t have access to such knowledge before. Very few deities have the knowledge and power to mutate creatures such as the Yahui which already have an innate resistance to magical energies. In varying degrees, of course. But this…”

  “A legacy of their patrons?” prodded Tyler.

  “I believe so, sire. The Aztecah pantheon, as far as I know, never did have the power to create such monsters. This new reality makes the journey to the Void Lands not only a necessity of war but also an imperative need for continued human existence. Imagine what would happen to the world if the Aztecah and their patrons succeed in subjugating this part of Adar? And with new and surplus human material, it’s easy to move from creating creatures like what we now see on that field to magically mutating humans. I wouldn’t be surprised if they already started experimenting. That on top of the usual grandiose blood sacrifices,” replied Asem.